Erin’s review of The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment > Likes and Comments
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Ha! That's not exactly a ringing endorsement. ;)
And that was only when I was 15 pages in! Now that I've finished, you should read my rantings!
Use your mind, don't let it use you.
I think that's what he meant. Calm down, and no I'm not saying that to put you in a suggestive state.
OSHO bears much similarity to Eckhart Tolle. In the book of wisdom OSHO said "The mind is a beautiful instrument if you know how to be a no-mind too.The mind is impotent, incapable of knowing the beginningless and the endless." God, Tao, Existence or whatever you want to call it is, according to countless mystics (obviously including these two), outside the spectrum of the mind.
I didn't see it as not thinking with the mind. He was clear to say that the mind is there for a reason. A tool for US to use but not be used by it. Who can deny that the mind can create craziness and has throughout the world. It is a good lesson to listen to the mind and be aware of it which then give you an opportunity to change your behavior.
The only reason you didn't like this book is because you didn't get it. If you got it, you'd love it!! Its a master of our time!
I haven't read the book yet but i believe that Debra might have a point, maybe Erin is finding it difficult to get it just///
Agreed. It seemed to me he was advocating 'Mindfulness' but kept veering off on ridiculous tangents getting lost in all manner of nonsense. Poor. Get yourself 'Mindfulness for Dummies' instead.
"Also, have you seen his picture on the back of the book? He looks like just the sort of guy who is plotting to take over the world. He wants us to stop thinking for ourselves so that he can think for us!" hahahahahaha I'm reading it now and I CANNOT stop thinking about his picture. He looks part Amish, part Pentecostal, and part evil villain. That is NOT helping my brain calm down!
Agree with Debra. He even says in his book that your ego will kick off at what he says and hate everything about what he's writing. But I guess you'll say that's more manipulation eh?
What I hear in your comment of this book is your ego and pride commenting on something YOU feel attacked by. Be it his book. The fact that u didn't get it the way the majority gets it has to do with you and not what hè wrote, fact that your responding in such à negative tone says more about you and The choices you tend to make in life and Those come from the ego etc. First thing I started feeling was probably The Same thing you feel wich was résistance as it goes against anything you where tought or tought yourself to believe....
Cult followers: the book is really good in its own way, but in a lot of other ways it is lacking. So calm down and quit culting it up. Also, no one but New Age people use "ego" anymore. For a non-NewAge rendition of some of the same themes, check out (radical) John Zerzan's essay "Running on Emptiness: The Failure of Symbolic Thought" -> http://www.primitivism.com/emptiness.htm It's easily my favorite essay ever. He makes concrete a lot of the things that Tolle skirts around and doesn't understand.
Also, because it really IS important, Tolle and Zerzan aren't the only people to attack (symbolic) thought: the Tao te Ching and Zen Buddhism also argue against it, though Zerzan really fleshes out the reasons why thought should be abandoned.
I must be one of the ones who "don't get it". I'm 15 pages in and I hate it. I hate that I wasted my money on it. A friend of mine said that it changed her life, so I felt that it might be worth a read. As a non-believer in anything magic, religious, superstitious, etc....I don't think that I'll ever "get" this book. I'm going to try and keep an open mind and finish the book, but I'm not very optimistic.
woww... hated???? It's intresting then what you'll say about "a crossing or the drop's history" by Anatoliy Obraztsov. Because I find both these books are very controvesial
I like how you felt the need to write a raging review of the book 15 pages in. It must've really challenged your current view on life. Which obviously means it was a horrible book...
You should practice doing things with an open mind. I'm sure reading the book would have been a better experience for you if you hadn't been passionately resisting it the entire time.
Well, first off, this is his teaching. He can twist it how he wishes, because he's the leader of his own path. And he wishes to share his path, not inforce it. Also, he clearly states in the book that he doesn't wish to stop thinking all together, he wants to teach people, or for people to learn on their own, to control their mind. So that it does not control us. You would think when you need it, knowing and thinking are different. You don't think to move your arm, you just know it.)like a math equatuion or such, and when you don't, quit worrying.
As for condesending...Thats just his style. I doubt he means you to take it that way, its just how he words things.
You sound like you were in the same place I was a few years ago. You should read my review of "A New Earth," Tolle's second book, and then read my review of "The Power of Now." They are polar opposites. You definitely need to be in a specific place to appreciate this book and Tolle's writing and teachings. Like someone said to me, don't give up on it and come back to it in a few years. I believe that if you didn't like it, then you didn't need it. I hope you never will need it. I unfortunately do.
However, I do get what you're saying about him trying to turn us into non-thinking, passive robots so he can take over the world. I haven't really reconciled that yet. However, I believe applying this book and what is teaches is actually going to make me more powerful or successful in my professional life. We'll see.
so you're judging a book by it's cover and you don't really get it...is what you're saying, right? you have a defeatist attitude and this book wasn't written for you.
to even say hate with a fiery passion over something that was not aimed at you shows how you did not understand the book. You judged it without understanding. Made a judgement based on what your mind told you to look for. Most of us are not really listening, we are too busy insisting we know the answer. I don't know the answer to much and when I can freely admit that and no longer judge others only then can I stop judging myself. It is not easy work and some take years to understand. It may not be what you want to look at right now which is of course fine as we all make our own choices. I do hope one day you will want to look at this and love instead of hating the book with a fiery passion.
Yea, you pretty much missed the simple point of the book. You're reading too much into Tolle's motives. He never implies you should try to never think again. He is talking about thinking that owns you vs thinking that is actually sharper because it comes from a centered place and is not running your “life".
You're letting your feelings overcome you. You OWN your feelings and you OWN your mind, it's your subconscious that's feeding you the thoughts and you're identifying your self with them. Calm down and feel what your saying is really true or not. Very little facts and a whole lotta opinions
The very first time i read the book, indeed the tone felt a bit... pompous. While reading it my mind was voicing Tolle's words as if he had such disdain and low opinion for whoever was reading the book. I couldn't get past even one fourth of the book then.
Some months later though I came upon a video of a sample audiobook reading with Tolle speaking. The book being read the way he read it... how can i say this? It... mellowed my previous perception. Here was a voice that was so peaceful.. so moving that at that moment, it completely turned around my opinion of the book.
As of now I've probably finished rereading the book for at least five times, and it never loses its luster. At least for me. Maybe it would work for you too that way.
Peace~
you clearly missed the entire purpose of this book, by letting your mind overthink you let your ego control you caused yourself to not understand a single thing he wrote. It's not at all about being a pompous writer who's warping the philosophies of ancients. It's called living in the present for a reason. You are the one in control of your own mind, you are the one making your subconscious control you. The method of overthinking isn't about finding euphoria, it's about claiming inner peace within YOURSELF. You create your reality and what you seek is what you find. Therefore if you overthink and constantly ridicule you are completely thinking in the ego world and not dislodging your thoughts properly. It's not a book that is supposed to be read in a day, it's a study and one you obviously didn't recognize. Good luck on your journey <3
My goodness. It never ceases to amaze me that FIVE YEARS after writing a tongue-in-cheek review, people still feel the need to help educate me. I understood the book, but I didn't like it. It wasn't for me. No one philosophy works for everyone and THAT'S OK. Different paths up the same mountain, people.
You must be converted! haha. I've been following this ever since my attempt. You're definitely right. Good luck.
I managed to read this book only in my second attempt. First time, I got lost halfway, an I believed writer was just rambling. This book is definitely for people not ready to accept the possibility that they were doing it all wrong all their lives. It is a hard thing to accept. I did, and I believe it is worth the effort.
I liked the book. And about the "condescending" part I have to kind of agree. Especially with his live talks. He sounds like he is mocking somehting everytimes he speaks which is annoying as hell. But he is a great teacher.
I understand your wanting to chew your arm off. You should probably not read any more of his books, so you can keep some of your limbs :) I am just stopping by to say that I completely agree with your assessment of Tolle and his gibberish.
People like to criticize Eckhart on some of the things he says. Such as his statements on birds for example. "Birds are violent...blah blah blah." That's not the point. The specific examples he uses are true. Like when ducks get in a fight...when it's over they just flap their wings and gracefully float away as if nothing happened. In other words, they get over it instantly. And I am sure when Jesus said stuff about watching birds he was talking about how they instinctively know what to do. Like fly thousands of miles to a warmer climate when it starts getting cold. You think the birds are "thinking" when they do that? No. It goes in line with intuition. They intuitively know what to do. And that's all Eckhart is really teaching, how to get in touch with your intuition.
Eckhart is basically teaching how to control the mind instead of it controlling itself. Well, in reality you don't control the mind. It controls itself but you can stand back and be the witness of it and thus not be bothered by it. If you are attached to the mind and it gets angry, you become the anger and unconsciously act it out. Maybe not in a violent way but you probably walk around like Jack Nicholson in the Shining mumbling to yourself. haha. (getting off track.) that's one thing I love about that movie, little things like that. Very realistic.
Five years later, and this comment thread is still going.
Yes, I totally walk around muttering to myself and that's why I didn't like this book.
Erik, your comment is so riddled with poor grammar that I'm having a hard time understanding you. Must be because I haven't been enlightened.
Could be. BTW, it's not "riddled" with poor grammar. The only thing that's incorrect is "bright IS you." The "is" should be changed to "are." Now do you understand?
Erik, I should know better than to feed the trolls, but I'm really curious why you persist in making rude comments? I didn't like a book that you like. I also don't like Nelson DeMille and you do. I'm sure there are things I love that you don't, yet I'm not leaving snarky comments on a book review you wrote five years ago. Relax. It's ok for people to like different things.
hilarious! I feel the same way about A New Earth, In fact these reviews fit that book perfectly, it's probably the same book with a different cover.
Hello Erin :)
You wanted to chew your arm off?
I think that was only because the false identity derived from our views and our opinions which we identify with is threatened because the author completely challenges it all.
It's a radical book and anyone who tries to take the human race to the next step will have their fair share of haters because the nature of the false made ego is to fiercely defend and hate thus resist. The more it resists the more it can live on.
Why, you may even be pissed off at me right now because I'm attempting to go against your view. That's completely alright.
Personally speaking I have searched for months and finally found this book among many many others.
This is the only book I read now everyday.
If you are new to spirituality this book will challenge your views directly. Put you down.
Then what happens is that the ego resists and you hate it with a fiery passion even more.
When I first read this book I didn't get it. Then I read many books over a period of months and came back to it. I understood it so much better because I Was familiar with the central concept of the ego, Enlightenment via other books.
There was more openness due to familiarity after reading all those other books.
I suggest you get familiar with the central themes of consciousness, Ego and enlightenment before reading this again. And importantly have an open mind.
If you just read it thinking it's an everyday book it wontbe. It will cause a stir either positively or negatively.
Most people who don't get the book are those who may not be ready for it. Nothing wrong in that. Maybe you don't need it at this stage yet.
You may hate me for saying that but one day you will see what I'm saying :)
I have read lots of reviews of people who hate it and the reason is because unlinke any other book the only way the author can shift something is if he directly aims the arrow at the heart. Either you love it or you hate it. There s no in between.
You can do as you please but all I have to say is that don't close yourself to it by judging it so early :)
I love how cult-like the fanatics of this book are. "If you don't like it, it's because you don't get it and/or it challenges your incorrect world view!"
Tolle is a priest of our cultural logic of individualism. Be content with yourself and need no one else. There is no world that exists where a person is enough on their own. Yes Tolle is provocative because he gives a parsimonious worldview but, in this, he's throwing out all the babies with the bath water.
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU Erin. I completely agree with you. There are many ways for an author to explain this type of 'new age' wisdom and simply the idea of focusing on your present energy, and this was far from the correct way.
The fact that words on a page pissed you off and drove you to write is probably the greatest achievement anyone can have.
I read this book back in the day, before Oprah jumped on the bandwagon and had mostly the same reaction as this reviewer. It didn't impress me. It seemed silly that people could really take this guy seriously. But now that I've aged some, I've re read the book and really find it resonating with me in many ways. This book and The Four Agreements have made me a better person both internally and externally in my interactions with the world. Like every book of this nature you have to take away the ideas you find useful and leave the rest behind. Many concepts he discusses I'm still mystified by,but the core ideas of being Present, observing harmful thought processes, and dealing with situations as if you chose them I've found to be very powerful indeed.
I hope you will find the time to read it later in your life. I have to say that I had to listen to it several times on audio to really understand the beautiful and inspiring message. If you do read or listen to it I would suggest you do so with an open mind and knowing that your review above was clearly a reaction of your egoic mind. We all did that at first.
I don't understand why you say this is all new age stuff... Buddhists have taught about ego and "ruling the mind before it rules you" for a couple of thousand years. Also, the concept of individualism is being misunderstood, since we are all one it is just impossible to be separate. Don't take it personal. Rather, just analyze why you feel attacked by the book, cult fans, people comments, etc.
I've read this book 4x and listened to it 7x. As far fetched as it sounds, it has radically changed my life. I learn something every time I read it, but like you I hated it when I first read it. It's frustrating to read and understand until you stop trying to. That won't make sense until you give it a chance. I promise it's worth it.
I find it hard to believe someone can "hate" this book. I feel that perhaps you read this book expecting it to be something its not and you then judged it according to how well it fitted YOUR idea of what it should have been.
I bet some of these 'enlightened' 'mindful' (mindless) comments made you want to chew your arm off. Brilliant review, the only sane person on this page.
You definitely were not ready to receive the message in this book. Tolle is not asking you to stop thinking. He is asking you to stop thinking when it is no longer necessary. Learn to put the mind down and be alive, completely in tune with what IS, this moment. The fact that you couldn't connect with the message might is proof that you were not present as you read.
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Lara
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Jul 28, 2008 01:25PM
Ha! That's not exactly a ringing endorsement. ;)
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And that was only when I was 15 pages in! Now that I've finished, you should read my rantings!
Use your mind, don't let it use you.I think that's what he meant. Calm down, and no I'm not saying that to put you in a suggestive state.
OSHO bears much similarity to Eckhart Tolle. In the book of wisdom OSHO said "The mind is a beautiful instrument if you know how to be a no-mind too.The mind is impotent, incapable of knowing the beginningless and the endless." God, Tao, Existence or whatever you want to call it is, according to countless mystics (obviously including these two), outside the spectrum of the mind.
I didn't see it as not thinking with the mind. He was clear to say that the mind is there for a reason. A tool for US to use but not be used by it. Who can deny that the mind can create craziness and has throughout the world. It is a good lesson to listen to the mind and be aware of it which then give you an opportunity to change your behavior.
The only reason you didn't like this book is because you didn't get it. If you got it, you'd love it!! Its a master of our time!
I haven't read the book yet but i believe that Debra might have a point, maybe Erin is finding it difficult to get it just///
Agreed. It seemed to me he was advocating 'Mindfulness' but kept veering off on ridiculous tangents getting lost in all manner of nonsense. Poor. Get yourself 'Mindfulness for Dummies' instead.
"Also, have you seen his picture on the back of the book? He looks like just the sort of guy who is plotting to take over the world. He wants us to stop thinking for ourselves so that he can think for us!" hahahahahaha I'm reading it now and I CANNOT stop thinking about his picture. He looks part Amish, part Pentecostal, and part evil villain. That is NOT helping my brain calm down!
Agree with Debra. He even says in his book that your ego will kick off at what he says and hate everything about what he's writing. But I guess you'll say that's more manipulation eh?
What I hear in your comment of this book is your ego and pride commenting on something YOU feel attacked by. Be it his book. The fact that u didn't get it the way the majority gets it has to do with you and not what hè wrote, fact that your responding in such à negative tone says more about you and The choices you tend to make in life and Those come from the ego etc. First thing I started feeling was probably The Same thing you feel wich was résistance as it goes against anything you where tought or tought yourself to believe....
Cult followers: the book is really good in its own way, but in a lot of other ways it is lacking. So calm down and quit culting it up. Also, no one but New Age people use "ego" anymore. For a non-NewAge rendition of some of the same themes, check out (radical) John Zerzan's essay "Running on Emptiness: The Failure of Symbolic Thought" -> http://www.primitivism.com/emptiness.htm It's easily my favorite essay ever. He makes concrete a lot of the things that Tolle skirts around and doesn't understand.Also, because it really IS important, Tolle and Zerzan aren't the only people to attack (symbolic) thought: the Tao te Ching and Zen Buddhism also argue against it, though Zerzan really fleshes out the reasons why thought should be abandoned.
I must be one of the ones who "don't get it". I'm 15 pages in and I hate it. I hate that I wasted my money on it. A friend of mine said that it changed her life, so I felt that it might be worth a read. As a non-believer in anything magic, religious, superstitious, etc....I don't think that I'll ever "get" this book. I'm going to try and keep an open mind and finish the book, but I'm not very optimistic.
woww... hated???? It's intresting then what you'll say about "a crossing or the drop's history" by Anatoliy Obraztsov. Because I find both these books are very controvesial
I like how you felt the need to write a raging review of the book 15 pages in. It must've really challenged your current view on life. Which obviously means it was a horrible book...You should practice doing things with an open mind. I'm sure reading the book would have been a better experience for you if you hadn't been passionately resisting it the entire time.
Well, first off, this is his teaching. He can twist it how he wishes, because he's the leader of his own path. And he wishes to share his path, not inforce it. Also, he clearly states in the book that he doesn't wish to stop thinking all together, he wants to teach people, or for people to learn on their own, to control their mind. So that it does not control us. You would think when you need it, knowing and thinking are different. You don't think to move your arm, you just know it.)like a math equatuion or such, and when you don't, quit worrying.As for condesending...Thats just his style. I doubt he means you to take it that way, its just how he words things.
You sound like you were in the same place I was a few years ago. You should read my review of "A New Earth," Tolle's second book, and then read my review of "The Power of Now." They are polar opposites. You definitely need to be in a specific place to appreciate this book and Tolle's writing and teachings. Like someone said to me, don't give up on it and come back to it in a few years. I believe that if you didn't like it, then you didn't need it. I hope you never will need it. I unfortunately do. However, I do get what you're saying about him trying to turn us into non-thinking, passive robots so he can take over the world. I haven't really reconciled that yet. However, I believe applying this book and what is teaches is actually going to make me more powerful or successful in my professional life. We'll see.
so you're judging a book by it's cover and you don't really get it...is what you're saying, right? you have a defeatist attitude and this book wasn't written for you.
to even say hate with a fiery passion over something that was not aimed at you shows how you did not understand the book. You judged it without understanding. Made a judgement based on what your mind told you to look for. Most of us are not really listening, we are too busy insisting we know the answer. I don't know the answer to much and when I can freely admit that and no longer judge others only then can I stop judging myself. It is not easy work and some take years to understand. It may not be what you want to look at right now which is of course fine as we all make our own choices. I do hope one day you will want to look at this and love instead of hating the book with a fiery passion.
Yea, you pretty much missed the simple point of the book. You're reading too much into Tolle's motives. He never implies you should try to never think again. He is talking about thinking that owns you vs thinking that is actually sharper because it comes from a centered place and is not running your “life".
You're letting your feelings overcome you. You OWN your feelings and you OWN your mind, it's your subconscious that's feeding you the thoughts and you're identifying your self with them. Calm down and feel what your saying is really true or not. Very little facts and a whole lotta opinions
The very first time i read the book, indeed the tone felt a bit... pompous. While reading it my mind was voicing Tolle's words as if he had such disdain and low opinion for whoever was reading the book. I couldn't get past even one fourth of the book then.Some months later though I came upon a video of a sample audiobook reading with Tolle speaking. The book being read the way he read it... how can i say this? It... mellowed my previous perception. Here was a voice that was so peaceful.. so moving that at that moment, it completely turned around my opinion of the book.
As of now I've probably finished rereading the book for at least five times, and it never loses its luster. At least for me. Maybe it would work for you too that way.
Peace~
you clearly missed the entire purpose of this book, by letting your mind overthink you let your ego control you caused yourself to not understand a single thing he wrote. It's not at all about being a pompous writer who's warping the philosophies of ancients. It's called living in the present for a reason. You are the one in control of your own mind, you are the one making your subconscious control you. The method of overthinking isn't about finding euphoria, it's about claiming inner peace within YOURSELF. You create your reality and what you seek is what you find. Therefore if you overthink and constantly ridicule you are completely thinking in the ego world and not dislodging your thoughts properly. It's not a book that is supposed to be read in a day, it's a study and one you obviously didn't recognize. Good luck on your journey <3
My goodness. It never ceases to amaze me that FIVE YEARS after writing a tongue-in-cheek review, people still feel the need to help educate me. I understood the book, but I didn't like it. It wasn't for me. No one philosophy works for everyone and THAT'S OK. Different paths up the same mountain, people.
You must be converted! haha. I've been following this ever since my attempt. You're definitely right. Good luck.
I managed to read this book only in my second attempt. First time, I got lost halfway, an I believed writer was just rambling. This book is definitely for people not ready to accept the possibility that they were doing it all wrong all their lives. It is a hard thing to accept. I did, and I believe it is worth the effort.
I liked the book. And about the "condescending" part I have to kind of agree. Especially with his live talks. He sounds like he is mocking somehting everytimes he speaks which is annoying as hell. But he is a great teacher.
I understand your wanting to chew your arm off. You should probably not read any more of his books, so you can keep some of your limbs :) I am just stopping by to say that I completely agree with your assessment of Tolle and his gibberish.
People like to criticize Eckhart on some of the things he says. Such as his statements on birds for example. "Birds are violent...blah blah blah." That's not the point. The specific examples he uses are true. Like when ducks get in a fight...when it's over they just flap their wings and gracefully float away as if nothing happened. In other words, they get over it instantly. And I am sure when Jesus said stuff about watching birds he was talking about how they instinctively know what to do. Like fly thousands of miles to a warmer climate when it starts getting cold. You think the birds are "thinking" when they do that? No. It goes in line with intuition. They intuitively know what to do. And that's all Eckhart is really teaching, how to get in touch with your intuition.
Eckhart is basically teaching how to control the mind instead of it controlling itself. Well, in reality you don't control the mind. It controls itself but you can stand back and be the witness of it and thus not be bothered by it. If you are attached to the mind and it gets angry, you become the anger and unconsciously act it out. Maybe not in a violent way but you probably walk around like Jack Nicholson in the Shining mumbling to yourself. haha. (getting off track.) that's one thing I love about that movie, little things like that. Very realistic.
Five years later, and this comment thread is still going. Yes, I totally walk around muttering to myself and that's why I didn't like this book.
Erik, your comment is so riddled with poor grammar that I'm having a hard time understanding you. Must be because I haven't been enlightened.
Could be. BTW, it's not "riddled" with poor grammar. The only thing that's incorrect is "bright IS you." The "is" should be changed to "are." Now do you understand?
Erik, I should know better than to feed the trolls, but I'm really curious why you persist in making rude comments? I didn't like a book that you like. I also don't like Nelson DeMille and you do. I'm sure there are things I love that you don't, yet I'm not leaving snarky comments on a book review you wrote five years ago. Relax. It's ok for people to like different things.
hilarious! I feel the same way about A New Earth, In fact these reviews fit that book perfectly, it's probably the same book with a different cover.
Hello Erin :)You wanted to chew your arm off?
I think that was only because the false identity derived from our views and our opinions which we identify with is threatened because the author completely challenges it all.
It's a radical book and anyone who tries to take the human race to the next step will have their fair share of haters because the nature of the false made ego is to fiercely defend and hate thus resist. The more it resists the more it can live on.
Why, you may even be pissed off at me right now because I'm attempting to go against your view. That's completely alright.
Personally speaking I have searched for months and finally found this book among many many others.
This is the only book I read now everyday.
If you are new to spirituality this book will challenge your views directly. Put you down.
Then what happens is that the ego resists and you hate it with a fiery passion even more.
When I first read this book I didn't get it. Then I read many books over a period of months and came back to it. I understood it so much better because I Was familiar with the central concept of the ego, Enlightenment via other books.
There was more openness due to familiarity after reading all those other books.
I suggest you get familiar with the central themes of consciousness, Ego and enlightenment before reading this again. And importantly have an open mind.
If you just read it thinking it's an everyday book it wontbe. It will cause a stir either positively or negatively.
Most people who don't get the book are those who may not be ready for it. Nothing wrong in that. Maybe you don't need it at this stage yet.
You may hate me for saying that but one day you will see what I'm saying :)
I have read lots of reviews of people who hate it and the reason is because unlinke any other book the only way the author can shift something is if he directly aims the arrow at the heart. Either you love it or you hate it. There s no in between.
You can do as you please but all I have to say is that don't close yourself to it by judging it so early :)
I love how cult-like the fanatics of this book are. "If you don't like it, it's because you don't get it and/or it challenges your incorrect world view!" Tolle is a priest of our cultural logic of individualism. Be content with yourself and need no one else. There is no world that exists where a person is enough on their own. Yes Tolle is provocative because he gives a parsimonious worldview but, in this, he's throwing out all the babies with the bath water.
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU Erin. I completely agree with you. There are many ways for an author to explain this type of 'new age' wisdom and simply the idea of focusing on your present energy, and this was far from the correct way.
The fact that words on a page pissed you off and drove you to write is probably the greatest achievement anyone can have.
I read this book back in the day, before Oprah jumped on the bandwagon and had mostly the same reaction as this reviewer. It didn't impress me. It seemed silly that people could really take this guy seriously. But now that I've aged some, I've re read the book and really find it resonating with me in many ways. This book and The Four Agreements have made me a better person both internally and externally in my interactions with the world. Like every book of this nature you have to take away the ideas you find useful and leave the rest behind. Many concepts he discusses I'm still mystified by,but the core ideas of being Present, observing harmful thought processes, and dealing with situations as if you chose them I've found to be very powerful indeed.
Tolle quote the Bible, A Course in Miracles and Zen. Why would you "hate" such a book. I love the way you expose yourself and the teachings you follow by using the word "hate". Sorry folks, no Christianity, peace, love or open mind here. And Jesus wept.
I hope you will find the time to read it later in your life. I have to say that I had to listen to it several times on audio to really understand the beautiful and inspiring message. If you do read or listen to it I would suggest you do so with an open mind and knowing that your review above was clearly a reaction of your egoic mind. We all did that at first.
I don't understand why you say this is all new age stuff... Buddhists have taught about ego and "ruling the mind before it rules you" for a couple of thousand years. Also, the concept of individualism is being misunderstood, since we are all one it is just impossible to be separate. Don't take it personal. Rather, just analyze why you feel attacked by the book, cult fans, people comments, etc.
I've read this book 4x and listened to it 7x. As far fetched as it sounds, it has radically changed my life. I learn something every time I read it, but like you I hated it when I first read it. It's frustrating to read and understand until you stop trying to. That won't make sense until you give it a chance. I promise it's worth it.
I find it hard to believe someone can "hate" this book. I feel that perhaps you read this book expecting it to be something its not and you then judged it according to how well it fitted YOUR idea of what it should have been.
I bet some of these 'enlightened' 'mindful' (mindless) comments made you want to chew your arm off. Brilliant review, the only sane person on this page.
You definitely were not ready to receive the message in this book. Tolle is not asking you to stop thinking. He is asking you to stop thinking when it is no longer necessary. Learn to put the mind down and be alive, completely in tune with what IS, this moment. The fact that you couldn't connect with the message might is proof that you were not present as you read.
